A new U.S. government survey suggests the number of people seeking emergency treatment after consuming energy drinks has doubled nationwide during the past four years, the same period in which the supercharged drink industry has surged in popularity in convenience stores, bars and on college campuses.

Watkins Glen International has signed a multi-year deal with Cheez-It crackers to sponsor the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at the Finger Lakes track. WGI president Michael Printup and Kellogg Co. officials made the announcement of the Cheez-It 355 at The Glen on Tuesday.

Shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. slid in premarket trading Wednesday after the casual dining chain warned that fourth-quarter earnings would miss estimates because of higher food costs. Food costs are expected to be just about a third of sales, up 130 basis points from last year because of higher commodity costs.

The Irish public is on high alert after a food industry watchdog announced it had found horse DNA in burgers purchased in some of the nation's largest grocery chains. The country's agriculture secretary called the finding "totally unacceptable."

ARAMARK analyzed sales information for calendar year 2012, from more than 100,000 workplaces it serves in the United States, and found that customer employees working in the Houston, Los Angeles and Chicago metropolitan areas consumed the most cups of coffee on the job, while those in Miami, New York and Las Vegas consumed the least.

Kansas' top agriculture official called Tuesday for the repeal of state laws restricting corporations' involvement in agriculture, a move that would reverse a policy enacted more than 80 years ago. Agriculture Secretary Dale Rodman said the state's anti-corporate farming laws hinder the growth of agriculture and recruitment of new agribusinesses to Kansas.

The freeze gripping the West appeared on the verge of easing Tuesday, but farmers who spent millions to protect crops were still assessing damage, some produce prices climbed, and businesses and residents dealt with burst pipes. The National Weather Service predicted another frosty night, but said temperatures would begin to warm as high pressure moved east.

A Wisconsin company is recalling about 2,500 pounds of raw ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli bacteria. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service says Glenn's Market and Catering of Watertown is recalling the raw beef.

The Irish food safety watchdog said Tuesday that it had discovered traces of horse and pig DNA in burger products sold by some of the country's biggest supermarkets, including a burger sold by global retailer Tesco that authorities said was made of roughly 30 percent horse.

With interest in locally grown food soaring, the federal government said Tuesday it has created a small loan program to help community farmers who might not be able to borrow money from banks. The low-interest "microloans" of up to $35,000 are designed to aid startup costs, bolster existing family-run farms and help minority growers and military veterans who want to farm.

As an unusual cold spell gripped parts of the West for a fifth day, some California citrus growers reported damage to crops and an agriculture official said national prices on lettuce have started to rise because of lost produce in Arizona.

As the West Coast cold snap lingers for a fifth day, California produce farmers are growing increasingly concerned about the impact the weather may have on their crops. California's San Joaquin Valley, used to a year-round temperate climate, saw Sunday's temperatures plummet to 25 degrees.

The company that makes Fat Tire beer is now completely owned by its employees. Fort Collins, Colo.-based New Belgium Brewing announced the milestone Tuesday, a day after its 456 employees got the news at their annual winter retreat. The company is the nation's third-largest craft brewer.

Venezuelans have long had to shop around to find scarce foods, and lately consumers have had particular trouble finding staples like chicken, cooking oil, sugar and coffee, as well as toilet paper and some medicines. The shortages are a potential political vulnerability for the government while President Hugo Chavez lies bedridden in Cuba, unheard from more than a month after his fourth cancer operation.

U.S. wholesale prices fell for the third month in a row last month, pushed down by falling food and gas costs. The drop is the latest evidence inflation is tame. The producer price index dropped 0.2 percent in December, the Labor Department said Tuesday. That follows a decline of 0.8 percent in November.

State-owned Czech brewery Budejovicky Budvar NP says a British court has rejected for good Anheuser-Busch's request to have Budvar's Budweiser trademark declared invalid in the country, the latest ruling in a long legal battle over the brand name.

Soda sellers are set to get a three-month grace period from fines for violating New York City's upcoming crackdown on supersized sugary drinks, but a size limit still is set to take effect as planned in March, officials said Monday. The reprieve on fines comes as soda makers, restaurateurs and other businesses are suing to try to block the unprecedented rule from going into effect at all.

Consumer demand for "Farm-to-Table" will continue to grow in 2013 if shopper behavior matches responses to new research conducted for Plainville Farms turkey and FreeBird chicken. Shoppers said their motivation for wanting "Farm-to-Table" products is based on a belief that they are "fresher" (95%) and "healthier/ more nutritious" (90%).

An Ohio candy maker recalled 492 bags of its product because it contains milk that is not declared on the label. Island Delights Inc. of Seville announced the recall of the bags of Coconut Haystack candy earlier this week. An audit by the Ohio Department of Agriculture found the candy contained milk that could be harmful to the health of people who are allergic to it.